This invention relates to a method for producing a novel, nonplating cathode for use in electrolytic galvanizing processes and to the nonplating cathode so produced. As used herein, the term "nonplating" characterizes the immunity of the cathode against zinc plating on its surface during immersion in an electrolytic galvanizing bath.
In recent years, several important developments have occurred in the electrolytic galvanizing of steel strip, particularly in the area of forming galvanized strip material having a zinc coating on one side only. However, in common with all previously known methods for electrolytically galvanizing metal strip, the newer methods result in the production of a characteristic coating of zinc on cathodes immersed in the zinc ion containing electrolytic bath. After a period of time, this coating accumulates to such an extent that the operation of the system must be stopped and the zinc coating removed from the cathodes by various means, e.g., stripping. This of course decreases the efficiency of the operation, and thus increases its cost. While the ideal solution to this problem was known to lie in the use of a cathode which would be immune to the plating of zinc on its surface during such an operation, no such cathode was previously known to exist. In view of the present invention that is no longer the case, since a nonplating cathode has been produced according to the method which will be described hereinafter in detail.